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Mauritius police shooting and civil unrest

Updated 9 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-20 09:33 UTC → 2026-10-20 13:57 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the October 9 shooting of 27-year-old supermarket cashier Élodie Thomas, Mauritius has faced what has been described as the “worst riots in three decades.” Thomas, a mother of a two-year-old, was struck in the back of the neck by a police bullet while traveling home in a work van in Camp-Levieux. While she has shown signs of physical recovery, the incident escalated frustrations over water shortages and the rising cost of living into widespread violence involving road blockades, looting, and attacks on police stations. As of October 18, the country is experiencing a gradual return to normalcy. Public services and education are slowly restarting, including the Metro Express and various schools and polytechnics. However, several School Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations that were postponed must be rescheduled, with Education Minister Mahen Gungapersad in discussions with Cambridge regarding these exams. The government has maintained a curfew to prevent further disturbances following significant violence on October 13 and 14. Legal proceedings have intensified. On October 19, three police officers appeared before the Rose-Hill court on charges of “culpable omission,” suspected of failing to provide necessary assistance to Thomas and a minibus driver. They were granted bail with a Rs 25,000 requirement and a Rs 100,000 recognizance. Sergeant Gautam Singh Taukoor, accused of firing the shot that wounded Thomas, faces provisional charges of “Using Firearm to Intimidate” and “Involuntary Wounds and Blows by Imprudence”; he remains in police custody until October 26. Additionally, twelve individuals are facing trial for violating the curfew. During a hearing on October 19, nineteen witnesses testified regarding disturbances in the areas where the defendants were apprehended. The defendants, who cited reasons such as medical emergencies or visiting ATMs, are scheduled to testify on October 21.

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